The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
Eartm, atn,ne and Garden.
PESTS IN THE GARDEN.
Remedy for the Aphis.

nemeoy Ior the Aph1s.
At the last meeting of the Western N.
Y. Horticultural Society, a member stated
that he had found the fumes of coal-tar a
safe and effective remedy for the aphis.
A wad OF rage, fastened to pole, is coat
ed with the tar, eet on fire and held I'M
derneath, but not too near the foliage. By
few such applications he had rid bis
plum trees, that we're black with aphis,
entirely of the pest.
For Plant Lice.
Professor Cook, of the Michigan Agri-
cultural College, states that after trial
OF fifteen years, he finds no better reme-
dy for plant lice than the kerosene and
soap mixture. Onefourth pound of hard
soap, or one quart Of soft soap, can be
mixed with one quart of water. 1t is
heated till the soap is dissolved, and then
one pint of kerosene oil is added. This is
agitated or churned until complete
emulsion or mixture is formed. Water is
then added, 80 that there shall be one
part Of kerosene to fifteen parts OF water.
Heading off the Bugs.
This plan for protecting cucumbers,
squashes and melons from the ravages of
insects is followed in the RuraI Neso
Workers. grounds: AS soon as melons,.
squashes or cucumbers appear, a plant
protector is placed over each hill. Here
we have perfect protection. The cost
of the protectors is the sole objection.
Made in this way, however, the cost is
tri1ing: Take four strips of wood, three
inches wide and one or two feet long, as
preferred (or according to the area of the
Hill, and nail them together, forming
square. Tack mosquito. netting over this,
and set the frame over the hill, pressing
it into the soil somewhat, or throwing up
the soil around it, 80 that the beetles can
not creep under. We use this handy and
most serviceable contrivance to cover
tender seeding potato plants, melons,
squashes, cucumbers, pumpkins, with the
greatest satisfaction. It solves the prob
lem for us, not only as to the striped bee-
tie, but plants SO protected are rarely at
tackled by the cut-worm.
Lady-Birds VS. Aphides.
Mary Treat, the well-known entomolo-
gist, tells of finding a small shrub Of Eng
lish hawthorn infested with aphides. She
placed on the bush dozen or more
young lady birds, with their parents, and
in less than twenty -four hours they clear
ed the shrub. These lady-birds, she adds,
are not only enemies TO plsnt-lice, but
they devour several other kinds OF nox-
ious insects, among them the Colorado
potato.bug.
Black Knot on Plum Trees.
During the early half of summer the
black knot most usually makes it's first
appearance, bursting the bark which for
time is not discolored. For this reason
it is not 30 quickly seen, and the leaves
hide it. Some cultivators recommend
waiting till the leaves fall, when it is more
easily seen. But this delay may be fatal
1t should be cut of promptly, and trees
should be frequently and thoroughly ex-
amined. We have pursued this course
for more than thirty years, cutting away
all newly diseased parts whenever close
examination detected them, and have had
no trouble, only few minutes work in
season, when thus promptly DONE
CatttiUatOr.
Heifers and Fat Calves.
The time when COWS are made and
spoiled is when heifers are approaching
calving with their frat calves, and for six
months thereafter. A heifer should be
we'll fed on nutritious, growing food,
roots, bran and some strong meal, corn,
oats, cotton seed, ETC., besides hay and
stalks. She should have daily exercise,
and when she comes to the stall should
be handled, the udder kneaded, rubbed,
and the milk veins traced the whole
length. She will learn to like this, and it
produces pleasant excitement about the
parts, tendency of blood to the milk
tendency to give milk. After calving,
when she settled down to milking, she
should have strong milk-making food, in
which wheat bran should be a constant
and an abundant constituent. The aim
should be rather to cause larger flow
than much fat secretion. The heifer is
herself growing rapidly. Many OF the
constituents of the milk are needed for
her own increasing frame, but the flow
Of milk must be kept up and she should
be MIXED almost up to her next calving.
American Dairymsan.
CLOVER AND FERTILITY.
A correspondent writes that he can
randiIu nndarekand how clnvar can hiring